KYBELE PROGRAM GÜNES˛ DOGUDAN˘ YÜKSELIR (SUN RISES FROM THE EAST) Director's Notes “Günes˛ Dog˘udan Yükselir” (“Sun Rises from the East”) is inspired THEATER by Sufi philosophy. The piece embraces the idea of Nar, which I am inspired to create works that build bridges symbolizes the idea that no matter how different we all are, we between genders, races, cultures and communities SEDA AYBAY are all connected. Nar means pomegranate. There are hundreds of seeds inside that are all in slightly different sizes, shapes, with themes and concepts that are relatable to ARTISTIC DIRECTOR/CHOREOGRAPHER and flavors. Despite the variety and the multitude of the seeds, each and every person. Born and raised in Istanbul, they still are one pomegranate. At a time when communities I grew up traveling all over the world, being exposed and cultures are fractured by race, gender, politics and religion, to different cultures, traditions and stories. These it is important to find a way to shed our ego, materialism and FRI / SEP 14 / 7:30 PM judgment to be able to look a person in the eye and see their experiences led me as a young artist to find common essence, and recognize we are all one. ground connecting to each culture, and I began to /LIGHTING: Seda Ayay create different works with this perspective. THE COMPANY MUSIC: "Water Ceremony" by Mercan Dede PERFORMERS: Alan L. Perez, Rachel Walton, Genevieve Zander, Lori Tilkin deFelice David Matthew Rodriguez, Alejandro Perez, Seda Aybay The underlying concepts of each story and vision for EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR RUNNING TIME: 10 minutes a new dance always relate to fundamental human WORLD PREMIERE: September 14, 2018, relationships and how people interact. Exploring and Mark Baker The Broad Stage in Santa Monica, CA. TECHNICAL DIRECTOR questioning the deeper level of connections, beyond PAUSE (PLEASE REMAIN SEATED) just the physical sense, leads to a journey of finding Seda Aybay, Christian Espinel, Sy Lucas, one’s other self in another person: connecting, Alan L Perez, Alejandro Perez, NOIR separating and reuniting. This synergy on stage is Inspired by the dark themes of 1940s cinema and its anti-heroine, experienced by the audience as their own David Matthew Rodriguez, Jessie Lee Thorne, the femme fatale, who uses her femininity to lure men down a destructive and dangerous path. Historically, this character was self-reflection moving through time and space. Rachel Walton, Genevieve Zander born from a time when soldiers came home from fighting in WWII PERFORMERS to find women more independent, challenging gender roles of that It is my ultimate desire to awaken the audience’s time. Noir depicts the ongoing battle for a strong woman pursuing emotions by accenting forgotten moments of life This program is made possible in part by Danceline LA where KDT is her desires to shake society’s scrutiny deeming her subversive, proudly in Residency and in part by the New Movement Residency provocative and thus a villainess femme fatale. by fusing with Turkish imagery by USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance. CHOREOGRAPHY: Seda Aybay through a diverse repertory created to inspire and SCREENPLAY/CINEMATOGRAPHY: Carl Owens provoke thought. Utilizing nuanced movement to ADVISORY BOARD: Renae Niles, Katja Reitemeyer, Ann Greer, VOICE OVER: Tony Lanza invent new dance morphs known contemporary Sharon Dihaworth, Alexandra Gregorieva MUSIC: "Logos" and "Music From the End Credits" by Danny Elfman; "Prelude" (Vertigo), "Scene d’amour" (Vertigo) and "A Narrative style into new territory. Pushing the physical body to from String Orchestra" ( ) by Bernard Herrmann its limits for electrifying moments on stage amidst SPONSORS: Psycho SOUND DESIGN: Seda Aybay fearless risk which designs moments of beauty and LIGHTING: Mark Baker and Seda Aybay surprise, as well as the unusual and bizarre, is the IMAGERY: Adam deFelice COSTUMES BY: Pat Guillem essence of my work. My approach to movement ILLUSTRATIONS: Rully Akbar evolved to include quick weight shift and the use of Yuri Gregoriev School of Danceline LA RUNNING TIME: 20 minutes momentum and gravity with refined abstract versions PERFORMERS: David Matthew Rodriguez, Genevieve Zander, of daily gestures. Contrasting movement textures Christian Espinel, Seda Aybay WORLD PREMIERE: September 14, 2018, The Broad Stage in Santa are created through extreme body positions, use of Monica, CA (Workshop production: January 28, 2017, Temecula dynamics, and level changes. I believe in the clean Theater, Temecula, CA) Lowtech Dog King Productions lines of classicism swiftly blending into the earthiness of and the gutsiness of contemporary. INTERMISSION

SONSUZ I see the stage as my canvas where every moment Inspired by a Mary Oliver poem about how to cherish every moment should look like a painting filled with complex detail Truxton’s Skyman’s Follies in life, living it to its fullest with no regrets. The work considers the and composition. Lighting and costuming have always possibility of life after death and enduring eternal love. THANK YOU: Renae Niles, Jodie Gates, Dawn Stoppielo, Thomas McManus, CHOREOGRAPHY: Seda Aybay been an integral part of my vision, alongside my Alexander Schottky, Adam deFelice, Eric Williams, Michael Cardonna, and MUSIC: Max Richter — Infra choreography, to create depth and architectural Craig Glen Foster for their advice, support and services. We also wish to SOUND DESIGN: Seda Aybay design on stage to accentuate the magic of live thank Alexandra Gregorieva and YGSB for the years of love and support. COSTUMES: Pat Guillem performance. Striving to bring contemporary dance LIGHTING: Mark Baker and Seda Aybay RUNNING TIME: 45 minutes to the forefront of expression, I hope to inspire future PERFORMERS: Sy Lucas, Genevieve Zander, Alejandro Perez, generations of art lovers. Jessie Lee Thorne, Alan L Perez, Rachel Walton, David Matthew Rodriguez, Seda Aybay - Seda Aybay WORLD PREMIERE: June 20, 2015, Miles Playhouse, Santa Monica, CA

PERFORMANCES MAGAZINE 8 PERFORMANCES MAGAZINE 9 PERFORMANCES MAGAZINE 9 ABOUT THE ARTISTS ABOUT THE ARTISTS

SEDA AYBAY Born and CHRISTIAN ESPINEL ALAN L. PEREZ was JESSIE LEE THORNE is School of the Arts at UC Irvine and the Little’s The Presidents, Sesame Street raised in Istanbul, a native from Los born in Lancaster, from Los Angeles, World Arts and Cultures/Dance Live and domestic and international Turkey, Seda founded Angeles, began his California, and raised California. Her dance Department at UCLA. She has danced engagements in Japan, Korea, Brazil, Kybele Dance Theater training with the in Tijuana, Mexico. He training began at The with Dominic Walsh in Houston and Netherlands and Italy with Diavolo (KDT) in Los Angeles in Dance received his B.F.A. in Los Angeles County attended programs with Hubbard Dance Theatre. 2003. As the Artistic Academy, learning Dance at Cal Arts and High School for the , Spellbound Director and various styles from attended the Kibbutz Arts and continued at Contemporary Ballet in Rome and Sidra PAT GUILLEM (SONSUZ/NOIR COSTUMES) Choreographer, she ballet, jazz, modern, Contemporary Dance The Boston Conservatory, Bell Dance New York. She has danced is originally from Barranquilla, Colombia. has produced, choreographed and contemporary and hip-hop to tissue, Company International Dance where she received a Bachelor of Fine with LA Opera, Disney, Clairobscur She currently lives in Ontario, CA, and performed multiple works. Her character and Dunham among other Journey. He has performed with the Arts in Dance and Creative Performance. Dance Company, Lucent Dossier is the owner of With the Kids in My choreography has received the following techniques. He has performed in many Santa Clarita Ballet and performed Upon graduation, she moved to Italy to Experience, Sarah Elgart/Arrogant Heart. Pat designs costumes for Yuri awards: 2018 Outstanding of Debbie Allen’s original productions the works of Andres Tyson, Meryl join the Imperfect Dancers Company, Elbow and Ubuntu Dance Project. School of Ballet, as well as other Choreographer Youth America Grand and, through DADA, joined Unity Dance Murman, Wang YuanYuan, Lindsy where she resided for two years. She schools, in addition to making the Prix - Las Vegas, 2017 Outstanding Ensemble, a company founded by So Zapata, Pasadena Dance Theatre and has traveled through America, Europe, LORI TILKIN DEFELICE (EXECUTIVE costumes for students competing in Choreographer Youth America Grand You Think You Can Dance choreographer Kira Blazek. He has done extensive Russia and Israel, performing works by DIRECTOR) Lori began her dance Youth America Grand Prix. Prix – Las Vegas, 2016 Second Place Tessandra Chavez. He has since worked commercial work for the Volleyball Walter Matteini, Ohad Naharin, Jiri education at Washington University in McCallum Choreography Festival, 2016 with Rosero McCoy, dancing on Disney World Series, the City of Pasadena Kylian, Lester Horton, Doug Varone, St. Louis, where she graduated with CARL OWENS (NOIR SCRIPT/VIDEO) was First Place Front and Main Dance Channel’s Shake It Up, as well as on BET and Amazon, to name just a few. Robert Moses’ Kin and Adam Barruch. both a B.A. and M.A. in Chinese born and raised in Alaska. After Festival, 2016 Outstanding in Debbie Allen’s Hot Chocolate She has premiered her own Language and Literature. While living in graduating from film school in San Choreographer from Youth America Nu tcracker. He then became a member ALEJANDRO PEREZ a choreography at The Boston , Lori studied with Chen Wei Francisco, he worked and acted in Grand Prix – Los Angeles, 2015 Elite of Utah’s Best of State company, first generation Conservatory and The American Chung, a former principal dancer with several award-winning Bay Area Original Choreography Award, Dance Odyssey Dance Theatre, touring Mexican American College Dance Festival. Cloud Gate Dance Theater, in his newly independent films before moving to Los Under the Stars Festival, MAD BAD nationally, as well as in Istanbul and from Santa Monica, created Grotowski-based theater Angeles where he gained industry Festival and RAW 2011 Los Angeles throughout Germany. He also started as a street RACHEL WALTON company, while also studying modern experience at RKO Pictures and ICM Performing Artist Award. Her works have with JazzAntiqua Dance & Music dancer but then took began her dance dance and Peking Opera movement. Talent. He has since starred, co-written been toured and presented in the US Ensemble, Invertigo Dance Theatre and his first formal dance training in Leesburg, After moving to Beijing, she studied and produced the television pilot Bus and Istanbul, Turkey. Pony Box Dance Theatre. Throughout training as a VA, studying ballet, Chinese minority dance styles at Minzu People, written for the mobile game this dance journey he has had the sophomore at Hamilton High School. jazz and contemporary University. Lori has toured a one- John Woo’s Blood Stroke and is In 2018, she was invited to be in privilege to share the stage with artists He has since studied and performed from a young woman theater and dance performance currently finishing his first comic book, residence at USC Glorya Kaufman such as Herbie Hancock, Raven- various disciplines with Karen age. After high school, at Rutgers University, throughout Los Bird Kid. School of Dance and was a recipient of Simone, Jaleel White, Tichina Arnold, McDonald, Andre Tyson, Desmond she was accepted into Angeles, the New York Fringe Festival the Marcus Residency at Washington ELEW and many others. Richardson, Jackie Lopez, Breeze the inaugural class of B.F.A. Dance and the Guangdong Modern Dance ADAM deFELICE (NOIR DIGITAL University in St. Louis. She has Leigh, Latreece Douglass, Sean students at the USC Glorya Kaufman Festival. Since 1995 she has worked for IMAGERY AND SETS) graduated from choreographed and taught for Le Lyceé SY LUCAS recently Greene, Deniese Leitner, Jae Lee, School of Dance. While in Los Angeles, legendary director John Woo and is Pratt Institute before moving to LA. Français, Temecula Presents, Cal State completed the Angela Jordan, Keelan Whitmore, she has enjoyed studying under the currently his Head of Production, He spent over 15 years making props Fresno (Residency), Santa Monica Certificate Program at Jermaine Spivey and more. He is prestigious faculty, artists in residence developing and producing feature films and miniatures for films such asMen in College, Front and Main Festival, LA The Ailey School in currently on full scholarship at Alonzo and guest faculty at USC, as well as and TV. Black, Independence Day and Stargate Dance Festival, Cerritos College, Pierce New York City. He has King’s Lines Ballet. adding hip-hop to her training. Entering and for national commercials such as College, Spectrum, Why Dance, Praxis received rave reviews into her senior year, she has performed MARK BAKER (TECHNICAL DIRECTOR) UPS and Hyundai. He joined Mattel after Project and LACSA. She has in DanceNow Festival DAVID MATTHEW in works by William Forsythe, Jiri Kylian, has been working professionally for winning them the Harry Potter toy line choreographed/performed at the Encore and appeared RODRIGUEZ hails from Paul Taylor, George Balanchine, and over two decades in the technical, with his hand-sculpted castle. Adam Staples Center four times and for on BET, The Tonight Show with Conan Kansas by way of New Aszure Barton. She has enhanced her creative and managerial aspects of now digitally sculpts for them on commercial and music videos in both O’Brien, the Emmy® Awards and on the Jersey. Rodriguez training through a variety of summer theatre, concert and event multiple lines including over 100 original the US and Turkey. She was featured on cover of O Magazine. He has performed graduated from programs, including Springboard Danse production. Currently he is creating Monster High dolls. He engineered KCAL channel 9, Univision Kmex34 and works by a variety of well-known University of Kansas Montréal, BalletX, and Hubbard Street customer experience centers for a original joints that have earned him twice on Fox 11 News. choreographers including Alvin Ailey, with a B.F.A in Dance Dance Chicago. large tech company. He is the former three patents. Debbie Allen, , Tyce Diorio, and has studied jazz, Director of Production at Grand In addition to choreographing for KDT, Otis Sallid and Karen McDonald. He modern and ballet, as well as lyrical GENEVIEVE ZANDER is Performances. Since moving to Los TONY LANZA, (NOIR NARRATION) is the she teaches modern dance at Santa began his dance training in ballet at and hip hop. He has taught at local a true Angelino who Angeles, Mark has been involved with grandson of legendary tenor, Mario Monica College as an Adjunct Professor, Santa Monica College and continued his arts centers and dance studios across attended The over 200 theatrical productions as Lanza. Tony is a recording artist and Yuri Grigoriev School of Ballet and training at Debbie Allen Dance Northeast Kansas, most notably Performing Arts lighting designer, sound designer or music producer/writer who has Danceline LA. Additionally, she prepares Academy, after receiving a full teaching and choreographing for the Center in Van Nuys production manager. He works with performed in several bands throughout young students for Spotlight, Youth scholarship. He performed with Kybele Kansas City-based studio, Byrd’s under Louise Mandel Write Act Repertory Theatre and New his career, including projects with America Grand Prix and Elite dance in its early years, and we are glad to Dance and Gymnastics, before moving and Joseph Malone, York’s General Mischief Dance Theatre members of Megadeth, Suicidal competitions, as well as college dance welcome Sy back! to Los Angeles. He was a member of training in their as technical director and lighting Tendencies and Limp Bizkit. Tony’s auditions, with both training and Achinta S. McDaniel’s Blue13 full-time apprentice program studying designer. He has worked on numerous recordings have appeared on major original choreography. Contemporary Indian Dance Company jazz, ballet, hip-hop, tap, voice and other private parties and special radio stations and in movies and shows before joining Kybele. acting. She attended the Claire Trevor events. Touring credits include Rich around the world.

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